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Megalodon Shark Tooth - 5.55 inch

SKU:TFS0887

£1,642.00

Availability:In stock

Details:

The Megalodon shark tooth is 141mm in overall length from the bottom of the root to the tip of the crown. The technique to size a shark tooth, taking the longest diagonal as the official measurement when describing fossil shark teeth. The huge 5.55118 inches of the tooth having the archetypical triangular fin shape. The intact and extremely fine serrations elevate the specimen tooth to a position in the uppermost collectable sector of fossil shark teeth. Very few are this calibre, being so significantly substantial, in excellent condition and complete. No repairs or conservation has taken place, no over-polishing of the lingual face (which is a typical enhancement of the enamel finish to try and create an appearance of quality preservation), apart from a cursory clean the tooth is in an as found condition. An honest, dark grey fossil Megalodon tooth of one of the most significant marine predators of all time.

Genus: Carcharodon / Carcharocles. (Family; Lamnidae / Otodontidae). (Order; Lamniformes).
Age: Cenozoic era, late Oligocene to early Pleistocene, approximately 28 to 1.5 million years.
Origin: Beaufort County, South Carolina, USA.

Details

Megalodon shark tooth set onto a quality bronze plinth having stepped platform base. The specimen tooth is resting in the bronze armatures and can be handled, enabling the study of the huge shark tooth. Above are the dimensions of the tooth alone and the dimensions of the overall display of the tooth in the bronze mount.

Megalodon is known for being one of the largest and most powerful predators in vertebrate history. Megalodon 'Carcharodon', had a profound impact on the marine world of the prehistoric oceans, from the Miocene to the Pliocene epoch’s (the Neogene period). In the time of the late Pliocene, Megalodon's prey was believed to be ancient miniature whales called Piscobalaena nana and large seals.

The question of why such a proficient and powerful hunter should have become extinct has recently had a piece of the puzzle unearthed. The miniature whale P. nana lived in warm coastal waters, they became extinct around the same time as Megalodon, in fact around 400,000 years after the whale's extinction Megalodon left the fossil record. At around that time some three million years ago, a glacial freeze caused water temperatures and sea levels to drop, it is believed caused the miniature whale to become extinct.

In their place, larger whales that were better adapted to colder waters came to dominate. Megalodon could not compete with these larger cetaceans. Also, the leviathans would migrate to the poles where Megalodon was ill-equipped to deal with freezing temperatures and could not possibly follow. The research has been taken from the study of bones from the fossil remains of miniature whales and seals, displaying bite marks of the Megalodon teeth, suggesting these marine cetaceans were the shark's main source of prey and not as previously thought the larger whales.

Megalodon reaching a maximum length of 16 to 18 metres, approximately 52 to 59 ft, it's closest living resemblance of today is the Great White shark, 'Carcharodon carcharias', however, fossil Megalodon remains to suggest its structure was stockier than that of the modern-day Gt.White sharks.

The sharks greatest weapon were 250 teeth set in rows in the enormous jaws, so it's no surprise to see many of them discovered in the fossil deposits of North America. However, finding teeth of a rare and desirable quality is proves more problematic, divers having to search further and longer, which brings more challenges, longer dives with specialist equipment fraught with many other professional and health and safety issues and more expense. It is no surprise that the price of good teeth keeps ahead of inflation. Our selection is of high quality, with outstanding enamel preservation. Found in the Beaufort county of South Carolina, USA and other locations, dating back to the Miocene epoch.